Looking For You All My Life Part 63

you don't bear a grudge against Greg personally. I don't

*know if I'd be that gracious."

"Sometimes it can be hard to separate your personal feel-

ings when covering a story, but I got lots of practice at the

Times. The funny thing is, I've found it's even more chal-

*lenging here in Pine Mountain. I think it's because it's a small

* town, and I find myself so involved with all the people, but

I'm still trying to keep a balance."

"That's good. Especially since people around here tend to

talk, if you know what I mean. Best to keep a level head.

Hey, speaking of that wetlands article, did you send a copy

to the Environmental Protection Agency or anyone else that

might be interested?"

Looking for You All My Life101

She winked at him. "I'm not supposed to know, but dear

Abigail took care of all those little details-and anony-

mously too." She broke off a piece of bread. "Now, tell me,

Scott, where exactly are you at on that Ebbert story-is next

week too early to expect anything?"

He frowned. "There's really not much to tell. I went out

to his place, and it didn't look like much more than a small

working ranch. Oh sure, he has a couple of compounds built

and a big flagpole next to the driveway, but I didn't see any-

thing unusual besides the rebel flag b.u.mper sticker on the

back of his pickup. No marching fanatics, no burning

crosses...

"Hmm. What about that flyer his son has been posting

around town this week? What do you think that's all

about?"

"Well, now that's something, isn't it? I mean, you can tell

what he's getting at beneath all his rhetoric about patriotism

and whatnot, but his verbiage is a little toned down from his

usual hate mail, don't you think?"

"Yes, definitely. I wonder if he's not trying to recruit

others by trying to sound a little less controversial-all that

talk about preserving our country's moral integrity mixed in

with his usual antigovemment spiel might appeal to some of

our more conservative folks, especially if they're not aware

of any hidden agenda."

"That's what I thought too, kind of like the old prover-

bial wolf in sheep's clothes. But just the same, I doubt

anyone will take him seriously. I mean, my dad's pretty con-

servative, but he'd never be taken in by someone like Randy

Ebbert."

"I know Sam wouldn't..." She glanced around the diner,

filled mostly with men she recognized but didn't actually

know by name. To the casual observer, they were the types

who wore plaid, flannel shirts with frayed cuffs, some with

suspenders, some with down vests-most of them probably

drove four-wheel-drive pickup trucks. Not all that much dif-

ferent than Clyde Barnes, just younger. And probably more 102Melody Carlson